Life's Expectations
by HaleyD95
Summary: This story starts in Volterra in New Moon. What would happen if Bella wasn't as charmed by Alice's return and Edward's "act of love"? What if she was meant for another, someone with an old and kind soul hidden in anguish? Rated M for language and situations.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**A/N** – This is one of the first stories that I have written and posted, so I am hoping that everyone likes it. Please review this chapter after you have read it so that I can further improve upon my writing. All types of comments are welcomed. All thoughts are in italics.

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Bella's POV

_God I wish I had a towel right now so that I could dry off._ I think this as I am walking through the Volturi's underground tunnel. My body is shaking with the cold from being soaked with the water from the fountain that I had ran through to stop Edward from revealing himself in his stupidity. I am now walking next to Edward, surrounded by three of the Volturi guards, being 'escorted' to the throne room so that we can face the Volturi kings.

_God Edward, look at what your childish idiocy has gotten us into now, _was one thought that kept going through my mind. I had never wished more to be able to hit Edward without breaking my bones, because I really wanted to smack some sense into him. If he hadn't of acted so impulsively, then he would have realized that I wasn't dead and I wouldn't have had to come and save his sorry ass and get put into this situation. I easily realized when the Volturi guard first showed up in the alley that I was not going to be able to leave Volterra with my heart still pumping blood through my veins. I was either going to have to be changed into a vampire or I would be killed for my knowledge of their existence. _No doubt Edward is going to throw a fit about me being changed into a vampire._ I thought as I mentally rolled my eyes. I am going to have to make sure he doesn't act like a complete idiot and end up getting us both killed while we are speaking with the Volturi kings.

Suddenly I noticed something missing…_Where is Alice?!_

_Good god, she brings me here to save her moron of a brother and then leaves as soon as things get dangerous. That pixie bitch!_ As I realize that she ran as soon as trouble showed up, I grow furious with her and her selfishness. As we continue walking, I make sure to keep my face impassive. I don't want to mess with our odds of living through this experience.

As we continue through the tunnel, I quickly get fed up with walking so slowly freezing and soaking wet down a tunnel that could very well be several miles long. I look at the small female vampire (_I think they called her Jane in the alley_) that is walking in front of us, and notice that she is getting frustrated with this slow pace as well. With every step she takes, she seems to have to catch herself from moving too fast. Most people wouldn't notice this, especially because it was all happening in a split second, but I somehow managed to see it. Using this information (and the assumption that the Volturi kings wouldn't be very happy with us if we took hours to walk to them), I quickly make a plan to solve two of my current problems.

"May I ask how much longer it is going to take for us to reach the throne room if we continue to walk at this pace?" I ask. Edward turns to look at me with a bewildered look on his face, but I ignore him and look towards Jane. She has stopped walking and is now facing us. She stood there with an irritated look on her face, glaring at me for speaking.

"Thanks to you, human, it will take us approximately 1 hour to get out of this passageway and into the throne room," she said still glaring murderously at me. _Oh god, an hour is way too long for me to walk in these conditions. Hopefully she wants to speed up as much as I do._

"Why doesn't Edward just carry me? That way everyone can run at your speed and we can all reach the throne room faster," I propose.

"Not going to happen human. I'm not going to help you and Edwards escape attempt," Jane sneers.

"Ok, then why doesn't someone else carry me? I, in no way, want to keep the kings waiting." As I say this Jane tilts her head to the side a little.

"You seem eager to meet your death, human. Why is that?" she asks, curiosity filling her voice.

"I am not eager to meet my death, in fact I quite dread it. However, I do not believe making the kings wait an hour just because we have to walk at a human pace would help to end my situation in my favor. Besides, I am soaking wet and freezing. If we run at vampire speed, then I will be able to dry off slightly and begin to warm up some. I do not fancy getting sick from the cold and wet state that my body is in right now," I stated.

"You really don't fear our kind, do you?" she said incredulously.

"Fear? No. However, I do have a healthy respect for what your kind can do. I know that you can easily kill me in a seconds notice, but I see no reason to remain in constant fear of something that may or may not happen. It would be the same thing as me being constantly afraid that a random stranger on the street is going to shoot me. While there is a chance that it will happen, there is also a chance that it will not, and spending my time in fear would be foolish." As i said this, she seemed to be a little shocked at what I was saying.

"You speak with the wisdom of one decades older than yourself. It is a very strange occurrence amongst you humans."

"I was always told that I have an old soul," I said with simple smile on my face. "Now why don't we get back to the matter at hand?"

"Very well, Felix will carry you as we run. I do not wish to keep the masters waiting anymore. Let us be done with this," Jane said, finishing with finality and turning around again. A second later I was swept up into the bear of a vampire's arms. As he did, he seemed to be looking at my face expectantly. When I didn't react he started to frown. _Why are vampires always so disappointed that they can't shock me with their actions?_

"No need to be upset big guy. I am just not easily shocked after all that I have seen. I just learned to expect the unexpected," I said. He just continued to frown at me. Suddenly we started running down the passage. I quickly became freezing cold as all of the air rushed past me. Thankfully my clothes and hair were also drying as we ran. We continued to run for a few more minutes, everyone remaining silent. Jane was still leading our group as Felix, Edward, and I were behind her and another vampire was behind us. After running for only about 2 minutes, we seemed to have left the passageway and entered some other area that was much more well lit. However, I wasn't sure what it looked like because everything was still a blur to me because of their running. After about a minute of us running in the new area, we came to a stop in front of a very large set of doors. Felix placed me on the ground and stepped up next to Jane, who was now facing us.

"Wait here with Felix and Demetri while I let the masters know that you are here," Jane said before opening one of the large doors with ease, and going into the next room. As soon as she left Edward walked up to me and confronted me.

"What in the world was that about?! Why couldn't you just keep quiet?!" he harshly whispered.

"I don't have time for your childish tantrums right now Edward. It is your fault that we are in this situation in the first place. If you hadn't of overreacted and thought that it was necessary for you to die if I wasn't alive anymore, even after you had left me, then I wouldn't have had to come and save your sorry ass. Now shut up and try not to get us killed when we go in that room and meet with the Volturi kings," I said, in no mood for his adolescent mood swings. He just stared at me in shock for talking to him this way. _I guess he thought I was just going to stand beside him and look pathetic like I did when we were dating. He is in for a rude awakening._

All of a sudden Jane came back through the big doors. When she sees the way Edward and I were facing each other and the look on his face she arches an eyebrow at the situation before clearing her throat to get our attention. We all turn towards her, waiting to hear what she has to say.

"The kings are ready for you now," she said before opening both of the large doors. As we began walking towards the next room I began mentally preparing myself for whatever was going to happen once we were in the room, knowing very well there was a reasonable chance that I was not going to come back out with my heart pumping blood through my veins.

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**A/N** - I hope that you liked my first chapter, I will have the next one up in a few days. Once again, I ask that you please write a review with your opinions of my story so far.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**A/N** – I apologize for taking so long to publish the 2nd chapter, but I got caught up studying for several exams. Please review this chapter after you have read it so that I can further improve upon my writing. All types of comments are welcomed. All thoughts are in _italics, _and all vampire speed conversations are in between ~.

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Bella's POV

As we stepped into the room, I took a look around. The room itself was very large and open. There wasn't much about the room that really stood out. It was round and seemed to be made of marble, with very few windows throughout the room. Despite the lack of windows and decor, the room had a very open feel to it. There was also a dais in front of the room that housed the thrones of the three Volturi kings, where they now say. Around the room stood several vampires that seemed to watch our every move, guards no doubt. Edward and I continued to walk towards the dais until we were in the middle of the room, facing the three Volturi kings. They sat in their thrones, seeming to examine us as we stood there. I quickly took the chance to observe the kings myself.

First I looked at the king on the right. He had platinum blonde hair, and what seemed to be a permanent scowl on his face. He sat almost slouched in his throne, obviously angry at having to be here and at having to deal with what I am sure are fairly trivial matters to him.

Next I looked at the king in the middle. He had hair as black as night that seemed to go all the way down his back and was held back from his face by what I am assuming is a clip or tie of some sort. He sat completely upright in his throne, looking at the two of us in a very excited and curious manner. _This must be Aro. I remember Carlisle mentioning his neverending curiosity and his habit of studying everything and everyone._

Finally I looked over at the third king that sat on the left. He had longer brown hair that seemed to be pulled back into a low ponytail. He sat upright in his throne, looking at Edward and I with disinterest on his face. I began to study his face a little more closely, noticing something hidden in his expression. As I studied it, I could see hidden heartache and grief in his eyes. _To think of who he must have lost to feel such sorrow! I wish I could help him in some way._ I thought as I could feel my heart ache in sympathy.

"Ah, young Edward!" Aro exclaimed. I quickly turned my head away from the brown haired king to face Aro. "I see that you were mistaken and that young Miss Bella is alive and well! How wonderful!" Aro said excitedly. _I see Carlisle wasn't exaggerating when he talked about how excitable Aro is. _

Edward replied to Aro in a very flat tone, but I zoned out and didn't hear what he said. The stinging in my chest that was sympathy for the brown haired king, and recollection of my own heartbreak, had grown since I had begun looking at him. I glanced back at the brown haired king and noticed that he hadn't moved except that it now seemed as if he was looking between Edward and I, not actually at either of us. Aro and Edward kept speaking, Edward growling at Aro at some points, but I couldn't focus on them. For some strange reason the pain in my chest was continuing to intensify, making it very difficult for me to focus on anything but that pain and, for some strange reason, the brown haired king. All of a sudden Edward grabbed my arm and shook me, forcing me to focus on what he was saying.

"What?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Were you not paying attention to anything that is happening?!" he exclaims, obviously frustrated.

"No, I've been a bit preoccupied."

"With what?!" he practically yells in exasperation. I raised my eyebrow at how he was acting. _If that is the way he wants to speak to me, then I am going to give him a taste of his own medicine._

"I was trying to count how many different ways you have shown how immature you are since I have met you. There are a surprising amount of them seeing as you are over 100 years old," I said, keeping one of my eyebrows raised at him. I was daring him to say something back. Edward just stared at me for a few seconds before shaking his head and sighing in frustration.

"Aro wanted to know if his power works on you," he said. _I guess Edward finally gave up on trying to argue with me. Smart man._ I thought, smirking at Edward.

I was turning towards Aro to answer him, when the pain in my chest flared up, reminding me of its strange existence. Without realizing that I was doing it, my face had scrunched up in pain, and my hands moved to my chest as if I could pull the pain out of my chest.

"Isabella? Why are you standing like that?" Aro asked sounding slightly concerned. I took a few deep breaths, trying to get the pain in control. Unfortunately, it wasn't helping at all. The more I tried to control the pain, the worse it got. Before I knew it, I had fallen to my knees and had almost completely curled into a ball from the pain.

3rd Person POV

After staring at Bella in shock for a few seconds, Aro placed a hand gently on her shoulder, a concerned look on his face.

"Isabella, can you tell me what is wrong?" Aro asked Bella genty.

"Chest...hurts...feels...like...my...heart...is...being...set...on...fire," Bella said, panting for breath in between each word I managed to gasp out.

"When did this pain start Isabella?"

"Not...long...after...enter...ing...this...room."

"Is there a history of heart problems in your family?"

"N...o," Bella gasps out again. It was obvious that it was getting even harder for Bella to breath and talk. All of a sudden one of the guards spoke, from somewhere in the large room.

"Master, her heart doesn't sound like it is in any kind of distress outside of the fact that it is beating way too rapidly. To be honest, if I didn't know any better, I would think she was suffering from her mate bond being severed. Her situation seems to be exactly like when we accidentally kill one mate before the other," this guard said.

"I understand what you are saying, but she is human. How can she be going through something only vampires have experienced before? Unless...this has something to do with her shield! If her brain is close enough to a vampire's in development to have developed her shield to the capacity it is at, then it is possible that her brain is also capable of recognizing her mate!" Aro said in wonder, lost in the science of it all for a few seconds.

After thinking about it for a few seconds, Aro's expression changed from one of wonder to one of confusion.

~What is wrong, master?~ Jane asked, her own face looking slightly concerned.

~Even if her brain is capable of recognizing her mate, I don't understand why she is going through the pain of a mate bond being severed? Her mate would have to be in close proximity because of the pain of being too far from your mate, and yet no one close enough has been killed that I am aware of, especially someone that she has met,~ Aro explained, his face completely confused and worried. As soon as Aro finished speaking, Edward finally cracked and started yelling.

~Stop talking about her mate as if we don't know who he is! I am her mate! I don't know what you have done to her to cause her pain, but you need to stop it right this second!~ Edward demanded, almost stomping his foot at the end of his little speech. All of a sudden something happened that no one expected.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU IMMATURE LITTLE BRAT!" Bella screamed, her voice almost shaking from her anger and agony. Everyone started at her in shock of what she just shouted, as she shouldn't have been able to hear what they were saying with the speed they were speaking at. Aro was the first one to recover and simply chuckled at Bella, who had gone back to curling herself into a ball and trying to stop the intense pain that was flowing through her body.

~Maybe you should listen to Isabella, young Edward. Whether you want to realize it or not, you two simply cannot be mates,~ Aro said to Edward. Edward just glared at Aro as he said this.

~You are wrong Aro, Bella and I are mates!~

~No you are not! Stop and think about it for a minute. Mates cannot hurt each other and they cannot go far from each other without feeling debilitating pain. Not only have you hurt her multiple times, but you broke up with her and ran all the way to Africa to sulk! Not to mention how you refused to allow her to change when she was bitten by that vampire James. If she was your mate, you would have just let her change instead of risking her life further by sucking the venom out!~ Aro declared impatiently, making it painfully obvious how Edward could not have been Bella's mate.

~That isn't true, I just wanted her to be happy!~ Edward exclaimed.

~If you don't believe me then we can have Marcus check her bonds and see if she holds a true mate bond to you. If she does then you are free to go as long as you change her into a vampire. If she does not hold a true mate bond to you, then you both will be held fully accountable for your actions,~ Aro said.

~That is fine, we will be walking out of here before you know it because I know we are true mates,~ Edward declared with a smug look on his face. Aro just raised an eyebrow in skepticism at Edwards attitude before turning towards Marcus.

~Alec, would you please cut off all of Edwards senses until I tell you to release him? I have a feeling that he is not going to react well to the results of this inquiry.

~Yes, master Aro,~ Alec said without hesitation before focusing on Edward, quickly blocking all of his senses. As soon as this happened, Aro turned towards Marcus.

~Marcus, brother?~ Aro said in an effort to rouse Marcus from the fog he seemed to be in. Marcus did stir and looked towards Aro with a blank expression on his face.

~Yes, Aro?~

~Would you please look at Isabella's bonds and tell us who her true mate is, and see if you can tell why she is in such pain?~ Aro said, gesturing towards Bella, who was still curled on the floor the same way she was a few seconds ago when they began to speak at vampire speed.

~As you wish, Aro,~ Marcus said in a monotone, clearly not paying full attention to what was going on in the room. Marcus's eyes glazed as he used his bond sight to look at Bella's bonds. As he did, his expression quickly went from impassive to one of complete shock. Aro saw this and was instantly curious.

~Brother, what is it that you see?~ he asked impatiently. Marcus didn't respond. Instead he remained motionless except for the fact that his face once again changed. This time his expression went from one of shock to one of awe and love.

~Brother?~ Aro asked again, hoping that what Marcus was seeing would not only set Edward straight, but also show a way to get rid of the pain that Bella was in. Aro walked towards Marcus, touching his hand and seeing what Marcus was seeing in his bond sight. As Aro's face turned into one of joy, Marcus left his bond sight with a gentle smile on his face.

~Well brothers, what has Marcus seen?~ Caius said, finally having had enough of their silence and wanting to know what was going on.

~Edward is not her true mate,~ Aro said with a smile on his face.

~Well then, why is she on the floor in pain? Does it have to do with her true mate, and do you know it is?~ Caius said impatiently.

~We know who her true mate is, and I have a theory as to why she is in such pain,~ Aro said. Marcus's head snapped to Aro as he spoke.

~Well?~ Caius said, still being as impatient as ever.

~My theory as to why she is in such pain is that her true mate's heart was closed and unable to accept her bond in any way. When she saw her true mate, her soul went to bond with him, but because his heart was closed, her bond was not able to connect with him, and her body is responding as if her mate had died and the bond was severed,~ Aro explained. As Aro said this, Marcus's face turned to horror.

~Oh no, what have I done?~ Marcus whispered almost inaudibly to the vampires, looking like he wanted to cry.

~Marcus, what are you talking about? You haven't done anything to the human girl. Aro, who is her true mate with the closed heart?~ Caius asked, becoming more irritated and confused as the seconds went by.

~Her true mate is our dear brother, Marcus,~ Aro said, smile still on his face.

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**A/N** - I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Again, I am so sorry that it took so long to put this chapter up, but I have been studying for my midterms and didn't always have time to write. I will have the next one up as soon as I can, but it won't take any longer than a week. Once again, I ask that you please write a review with your opinions of my story so far so that I can continue to improve.


	3. AN

**Author's Note:**

I apologize that it has taken so long to update. I had a lot of studying to do for several different exams, and was unable to figure out what to write during the little time I had to write. I am currently working on the next chapter, and will hopefully have it up in the next few days. Once I finish it, it will then replace this chapter.

Once again, I am sorry that I have been unable to write until now.

HaleyD95


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